STARS
by OfficiallyNonOfficial
Summary: Claire Redfield is a young conservative mechanic sharing a humble apartment with her brother Chris. Jill Valentine is an experienced, wealthy business woman running Raccoon City's hottest strip club. What could they possibly have in common? Their interest in a certain blonde stripper... AxJ and CxKm leading to AxC
1. Meet LeeLou

There are just some lines in this world that shouldn't be crossed...

People shouldn't make jokes about the blind, deaf, and disabled. They shouldn't laugh about someone dying or suffering. They shouldn't look down upon someone whose cross they don't bare. They shouldn't turn away when they see someone in need, shouldn't deny help when it's so obviously needed. They shouldn't shun their lesser counterparts or oppress the needy. But most importantly- they shouldn't drag their reluctant sisters to the strip club...

Claire stared at her surroundings with something akin to horror and disgust written on her features. As far as she could see, woman upon naked woman took to the stages and tables, shaking their bare asses for a crowd of lust driven, ogling men clambering over each other for attention and affection. It reminded her of a watering hole in midsummer. Not that she'd ever seen a watering hole, not outside of Animal Planet. But she imagined this is what it felt like to be near one.

It almost literally made her skin crawl.

She shook her head at what she saw, her lips drawing back into a frown. "You can stay if you want. I'm gone."

"Wait!" Her brother whirled around and caught her by the elbow, holding her securely in place. "Come on, Claire," Chris whined, "you haven't even given it a shot."

"I don't want to give it a shot." Her eyes darted around. "Look at this place! It's offensive!" She shouted over the blaring techno music. "It's derogatory! It's sending out the wrong message about women!" She jabbed an accusing finger in the direction of a big breasted blonde shoving her couch onto a drooling man's face.

Leon rolled his eyes, removing his arm from around his girlfriend's shoulders to place them around the distressed redhead's. "It's just one time, Claire. Even Ada wanted to come."

"Yeah." Luther added hopefully. His eyes roamed the club with barely contained vigor. His face split into a grin. "Let's go get a few drinks, Little Red." He offered before waltzing down to the bar.

Claire shook her head at the dark man's antics. Luther was a hound dog when it came to women. The man knew no self control. She had to admit, however, that he had really good taste. She raised a shapely brow as he gracefully slid into a seat beside a short haired blonde wearing a lovely violet dress and struck up a conversation.

"He's good." Leon commented, earning himself a glare from Ada. He raised his hands in surrender, a sheepish smile on his handsome face. "What? Honey, you're not going to tell me that woman isn't attractive."

Ada's glare shifted into a smirk. "Sure. But I think that bartender is more my type."

The three friends followed her gaze to the bar where a brunette with a bob haircut twirled a bottle of liquor expertly in her hand. Despite the old fashioned haircut, the woman was incredibly beautiful. Bright, piercing eyes, alabaster skin, a coke cola bottle figure, and a stance that reeked of power and dominance- it certainly intrigued Claire.

But not enough to make her want to stay. She returned to glowering at Chris.

Leon finished scoping out Ada's pick and pursed his lips. It was no secret his girlfriend enjoyed playing both sides of the field but he knew a hot woman like that would quickly find Ada's interest in him fizzled out. Unconsciously, his grip on Claire's shoulders tightened.

"She's okay," He said with a shrug, trying to play it cool.

Claire smiled wryly. Ada certainly knew how to keep Leon on a short leash. Not that she could blame the guy- Ada Wong was stunning. She had her fair share of passionate affairs with the brunette and knew all about getting caught up in her web. The fact that Leon managed to last so long with his sanity intact earned him a few brownie points.

As amused as he was, Chris ignored his friends and returned his attention to Claire. As the older, less mature Redfield it was his job—no, his God given duty!- to make sure his sister had fun tonight. After the way that asshole Steve treated her this celebration of her dumping his ass was a long time coming if you asked him.

"Claire," He pouted, his voice whiny. "Please? Just a few rounds of drinks? If you still don't like it I'll take you home myself and we can play video games or something."

Claire glared daggers at her brother, torn between wanting to kick him and wanting to laugh. Chris was about five foot eleven and two hundred twenty pounds of lean hard muscle. He had rugged good looks 95% of women swooned for and a few brain cells to go along with it. The fact that he reduced himself to grovelling and pouting was not lost on her.

But still, she glanced around warily, this place just didn't sit right with her.

"An hour, Chris. I'll give it an hour. If I still don't like it by then I'm kicking you out of my apartment."

Chris gasped, his face a mask of mock horror. "You wouldn't put your favorite brother out on the street would you?"

"You're my ONLY brother." She pointed out.

Chris shook his head. "Some sis you are."

Up until now Leon watched the two siblings interact without interruption but he was quickly growing bored of the discussion. "Come on Chris, I see a pool table with our names on them. Babe, do you mind?"

Ada shook her head distractedly, watching the bouncy blonde on stage crawl across the floor in her impersonation of a cat. "Have fun." She reached over and snatched up Claire's hand. "Come on, babe. Let's get a booth."

Leon watched his girlfriend hurry away for a moment, his attention diverted only when he heard Chris snickering beside him.

"You're a damn pussy, Leon."

Leon frowned, his expression grave. "I think that's why Ada likes me." He said seriously.

Chris doubled over, holding his gut as he barked a savage laugh. A few patrons turned to look at him but otherwise kept to themselves. "Damn, man! She cut off your balls AND made you swallow them. I almost want to put you out of your misery."

Leon shook his head, quickly growing fed up with this conversation. "Are we playing pool or not?"

Chris raised his hands in surrender, chuckling. "Okay, okay, Leon. I get it." He cuffed his hand over his broad shoulder. "Come on. First round is on me."

.

Claire muttered hotly under her breath as Ada dragged her around the club the way an inpatient mother drags her nagging child around the department store. She certainly felt petulant enough. She'd just broken up with her boyfriend of three years- the last thing she wanted to do was get white girl wasted at some strip club and an act a fool in front of a couple hundred men who already thought women were inferior play things for their amusement.

Finally Ada spotted a booth close to the bar and pulled them towards it. She pushed Claire onto the seat before jumping down beside her. "What are you having?"

Claire shook her head. "I think I'll pass."

Ada flashed her an exasperated glare. "Claire-"

"Look, I appreciate you guys doing this for me, but it's really not what I'm about."

"I know. You're about working your ass off to please some subhuman slob who couldn't give a rat's ass about you."

Claire clamped her mouth shut, her expression deadly serious. Ada was her friend but sometimes she really took things to a whole other level. A bad one at that. "You're-"

"Welcome to Stars. I'm Jill. What will it be?"

Claire and Ada looked up to find the brunette bartender from before standing at their table looking at them expectantly. Claire's brows shot up in pleasant surprise. The woman was far more fetching than she realized. She felt a kick under the table and tore her gaze from the bartender. Ada waggled her brows suggestively. She scowled at the infuriating woman. Idly, she wondered why she still put up her.

'Because she's your only friend besides Dahlia.' Her brain reminded her. Ever the helpful little organ.

Ada smirked triumphantly at her redheaded friend. "I'll have a glass of Chardonnay, and for my friend here, we'll take a Zombie."

Claire was taken aback. "A Zombie? That doesn't sound healthy." And if Ada picked it, it probably wasn't. "Why is it called a Zombie?" She asked, turning to Jill.

Jill cocked a brow at her, setting her hands on her full hips. Her lips twisted into a small but sly smirk. Claire had to admit, she was damn gorgeous.

"Because after a round or two, depending on your alcohol tolerance, you'll go completely brain dead. Like a zombie."

She shook her head vigorously. "Ex Nay. Bring me three shots of Jack Daniels instead. I happen to like my brain just the way it is." She said the last part quietly.

Jill jotted down their orders then handed them to a waitress as she passed by. "First time here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her ample chest.

Claire scoffed. "Am I that transparent?"

The brunette shook her head. "You don't look familiar to me."

Ada sat back, laying one arm around Claire's shoulder while the other rested on her leg. "Do you make a habit of getting to know all of you clients?"

Jill cocked her head to the side, examining Ada with a keen eye. "I try to get to know the people I allow inside of my club."

Claire exchanged a surprised look with her friend. "You're the owner?"

Jill nodded slowly, her expression a mixture of amusement and cool calm. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"I guess I didn't expect a woman to run a place that exploits women." Claire cringed and looked away, already feeling Jill's hard glare on her. Ada cut her a scathing look. She shrugged. What, she mouthed. Ada scoffed, shaking her head. Claire deflated, knowing Chris would hear about this and not be too happy about it.

She made herself look up at the brunette, forcing an apologetic twitch of her lips. "I didn't mean any offense by that."

Jill's shapely brows hung heavily over her pale, gray eyes, her thin lips pressed into a hard line conveying discontent. One hip jutted out, her foot tapping impatiently while the other tensed the way legs do before they kick...

Claire tensed. Jill looked like she could put up a hell of a fight but she was no pushover either. Her parents never treated her any different than Chris. Dad wrestled with both of them, they were both put into martial arts at a very young age, they both played football for their high school, they both got 250cc Yamaha Pro Dirt Bikes for Christmas (with the only exception being that hers was still alive) and they both had a thing for good looking women- her more than Chris.

Sure, she'd rather avoid a fight in the club with the owner of said club. But if it came down to it, after sizing Jill up, she had no doubt she could give the woman a run for her money.

Jill cocked her head to the side, taking in the obnoxious redhead. No make up, just a naturally stunning redheaded, green eyed woman with a stern gaze, pouting lips, and apparently a strong head on her shoulders. Slowly her frown morphed into a grin. She liked this woman.

"There's someone I think you should meet. She'll beg to differ on your opinion." Her eyes scanned the crowd, picking out faces until they landed on the bar. Sticking her fingers into her mouth she whistled loudly turning several heads. She ignored every one except for the one turned away from her. "LeeLou! Hey, come here. We have a feminist!"

Claire guffawed, wide eyes threatening to bug out of her skull and slack jawed while Ada barked a laugh. "Ha! Oh, Claire, you should see your face right now!"

'What the hell's the matter with this woman?!' Claire thought, clenching her teeth as several patrons pointed at her with a laugh. How the hell did they know Jill was talking about her and not Ada? The answer came when she looked at her friend then at herself. Ada wore a form fitting, blood red strapless dress that hung down to her ankles but had a long slit up the side that ran all the way up to her thigh. The woman's sultry gaze practically screamed I'm ready to party.

Meanwhile she donned an olive green button down, a pair of black skinny jeans, and some Chucks. Since the moment they stet foot inside of the club a frown permanently attached itself to her face.

She was a dead give away...

But that didn't mean Jill had to shout it at the top of her lungs. Some people were stupid, took offense to any little thing, and might resent her for her opinions which by the way, she kept to herself.

"Uh, Jill, really this was the first and will probably be the last time I ever come here. You don't have to-"

"Hey."

Claire did a double take. Standing beside Jill, she assumed, was this LeeLou. Jesus H the name didn't do the woman justice! Five foot five, hour glass shape (thought not as pronounced as Jill's) long thick legs, alabaster skin, perfectly proportionate breasts, a slender neck perfect for kissing, pouting soft lips pulled back to reveal a dazzling white smile. Short, blonde, pixie like hair. Playful, intelligent cobalt eyes...

"Damn..." Claire muttered softly, feeling all tripped up. The woman was quite simply put, breathtaking. There was a sharpness to her features—perhaps of German or Russian decent- that lent her an almost supernatural beauty.

LeeLou draped her arm around Jill's shoulders casually but the gesture screamed possessive. "Where's the fire, Valentine?"

Jill jutted her head towards Claire. "My friend here, oh what's her name?"

"Claire." Ada answered for her.

"Claire. My friend Claire thinks we exploit women. Care to fill her in?"

LeeLou bit her lip, fighting down the mischievous smirk making her cheek twitch. From the corner of her eye she studied the flushed looking redhead. She looked highly uncomfortable and the pouting glower reminded her of a two year old throwing a fit.

'Cute.' She thought.

"Let's see what I can't do for you, Claire." LeeLou leaned forward, grabbing Claire's arm, giving it a gentle but firm tug. "Come with me."

And again, Claire's eyes wanted to bulge out of their sockets. LeeLou wasn't dressed like a stripper, in fact, besides herself she was the one most casually dressed in a slightly oversized leather jacket, a red tank top, and a pair of perfectly tailored jeans and heeled boots. Who was this woman, and where was she dragging her off to?

She began to protest. "I don't think I should-"

"Take her, LeeLou, maybe you can take the stick out of her ass." Ada called cheerfully.

Claire huffed, giving in to the insistent blonde, and let herself get dragged away towards the back of the club. They navigated through the throngs of the swaying sweaty bodies of the dancing patrons and towards a staircase. She figured they were headed up to the VIP section where the music wouldn't be so loud.

As she followed behind the blonde she noticed several people, patrons and strippers alike, waving at her or shouting hellos. LeeLou took them all with a grain of salt, flashing them a cool, easy smile or giving a little wave. Whoever she was, she seemed popular. Her interest was certainly piqued but went with the decision to save her questions until they got to the room.

The VIP room was strangely.. domestic. No. That wasn't the word she wanted. But it was the only one she could think of at this time. It looked a lot more like an office at an executive building than a VIP lounge at a stripper club...

'Duh, you idiot. That's because this IS an office.' Why else would there rows of monitors showing different angles of the club and a one sided mirror with a view of the main stage? Okay. So LeeLou definitely wasn't a stripper. Head of security maybe?

"Have a seat, Claire. Make yourself at home."

Claire did as she was told, not in the mood to make herself look like anymore of an idiot than she already had. LeeLou strolled over to the other side of the desk, grabbed a chair, dragged it next to the one she hunkered down in, and sat herself down. They were all but in each others laps at this proximity- something that made the redhead slightly uncomfortable but she chose wisely not to voice her thoughts. After all, LeeLou was a gorgeous woman, what kind of freak would she look like if she pushed her away?

"So Jill says you're a feminist?"

"Not exactly." Claire sighed at LeeLou's questioning gaze. "It's a long story. Trust me there's more interesting things to talk about."

LeeLou smiled sympathetically. Claire looked frazzled. "You look like you could use a drink."

"Or ten." She muttered.

LeeLou reached over the desk, snatching up a phone. "Hey, Jill, can you send a couple of drinks up here? Jack, Coke, and Pineapple Rum. Bring the bottles and a bucket of ice. Thanks." Claire raised a brow in question. LeeLou chuckled. "You look wound up. Maybe we can get you to relax a bit."

"Sure." While they waited for the drinks to arrive, Claire studied the blonde a little closer. In her line of work she mingled with every type there is; The rich snotty type, the poor humble type, and everything in between. Trouble was, sometimes one looked like the other. She'd had to learn to read people through their expressions, their gestures, and body language.

LeeLou's body language screamed confidence, power, and control. She was sleek, slender, and graceful like a panther but dangerous just the same. There was a look in her eyes that spoke of calm and precision- it made Claire think of the ocean. On the surface it was beautiful, serene, smooth as glass in its rest. But one never knew what kind of dangers lurked past that inviting exterior...

A loud knock prompted LeeLou out of the chair and to the door. Claire glanced over her shoulder and caught a quick look at Jill. The brunette smirked at her then leaned in to whisper something in LeeLou's ear. Claire didn't miss how intimate the gesture looked between the two women. It made her frown slightly. Where Jill and LeeLou romantically involved?

'And what if they are? What do you care?'

"Do you want your liquor straight or mixed?"

Claire bit her lip. When was the last time she got drunk? She couldn't remember. Steve insisted she lay off the booze so she had. For him. Even as he continued to get hammered every other night with his buddies after work...

"Shot of Jack."

'Let's see how this plays out.'

* * *

Luther glared at a drunken man that stumbled into his path. He shoulder checked the guy but continued on his way to find Chris and Leon. He was just about to score with a hottie when the boss called her away. That effectively ruined his night. After ranting to the uncaring bartender and a few more drinks he decided it was time to leave this joint. The day he paid for sex would be the day the world ended. He was a damn good looking guy and his talents alone were enough to get him what he wanted. Damn it if he paid for it!

He spotted Leon and Chris nursing a couple of beers over by the pool tables. He made his way to them. They looked up at him, set their beers and pool cues down, and met him halfway.

"What happened? You look pissed." Chris asked.

Luther glared pointedly at the redhead. "So does Leon, what's your point?"

"Well, see Luther, I have a reason to be pissed. Ada's off flirting with all these damn strippers."

Luther paused, his head filling with steamy images of Ada and the woman at the bar doing erotic things to each other... His grinned wolfishly. "Damn..."

Chris smirked, knew exactly what his friend was thinking. Fortunately it was lost on Leon- he was too preoccupied with being jealous to notice his friend's less than platonic thoughts about his girlfriend.

"We should leave already. We've been here an hour."

"Aw, what's the matter Leon? Afraid your woman will leave you for someone that knows what they're doing?" Luther joked.

Chris winced, shaking his head at his friends. It was no secret Luther and Leon didn't get along. Leon was too stiff, and Luther too relaxed. Most times he preferred to hang with one or the other but tonight was the exception. Although Claire claimed she was okay he knew the break up affected her deeply. As much as he hated Steve's guts his little sister genuinely felt for the guy. A little morale support was in order and what better way to do that than to have a night out on the town with some of their closest friends?

Speaking of Claire...

"Yeah we should probably go." He glanced at his watch. "It's three in the morning. I think it's safe to call it a night."

"We could always go drink at your place." Luther suggested.

"Sounds good." Chris nodded.

"I think Ada and will be heading home," Leon said with a frown, his gaze locked somewhere ahead of him.

Chris and Luther followed his stare. Ada had a young stripper draped across her lap, one of the stripper's legs resting on her shoulder while she forced Ada's face to her breasts. Luther's jaw dropped, Chris blushed a bright red. He'd known Ada since middle school, since she and Claire became bff's or something like that. He'd seen the brunette grow up with his sister, hell, she was like a sister! It was one thing to imagine things but a whole different story to actually see them happen...

"Hey... Where's Claire?" Luther asked.

Chris looked helplessly around the club, not spotting his sister. His desperate gaze fell on his friends. "Where is she?"

They shrugged.

Chris slapped his palm across his face. "Great."

* * *

Claire threw her head back and laughed a full belly laugh that shook her entire core. Beside her LeeLou chuckled warmly, shaking her head as she fought back another fit of laughter. "Really."

"No way." Claire insisted.

"Honest. The next day the guy had negative three hundred something thousand in his bank account. Jill used that money to buy this place. It started up slow, mostly because men didn't believe a woman could run a strip club but in two years' time Stars has become a world renowned club."

"Wow. That's actually really amazing."

LeeLou nodded in consent. "So you see, this isn't a place meant to exploit women, it's meant to empower them. I hate to say it but if women wanted to rule the world all they'd have to do is drop their clothes. It's a man's greatest weakness, the easiest and full proof way to control."

Claire hated to agree but the evidence was staggering... "What about other women?" She asked. Those drinks were really starting to kick in to her system but she still had the presence of mind to get her questions answered.

"What do you mean?"

"Women who enjoy other women?"

LeeLou smirked. "I don't see anything wrong with that."

"Neither do I." She tossed back the last of her mixed drink and set the empty glass on the desk. She leaned back in her chair, the warm fuzziness of the liquor and the cool air contrasting and creating a pleasant atmosphere. "I guess I just don't see the appeal of a stripper." She mumbled, bobbing her head to the beat.

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

Claire's eyes snapped opened. LeeLou grin wickedly at her as she removed her jacket. She watched frozen, transfixed as the blonde sat on the desk, mere inches away from her and began to undress. First the boots and socks came off then the belt. Her mouth began to water as LeeLou held her gaze with a predatory look of her own. Hers was the look of a woman who knew exactly what she was doing while Claire literally began to pour sweat.

LeeLou chuckled in that low throaty tone Claire identified with the morning after. Her hands deliberately fumbled with the button and zipper, dragging out the process.

Claire mentally chided herself. She was acting like a mindless dick. At this very moment the only thing separating her from the howling idiots downstairs was literally just a dick. And the howling bit. Oh her blood was boiling now, whether from the alcohol or from LeeLou's intentions, she wasn't sure. Her palms were hot and sweaty, her hair stuck to the sides of her face, and this terribly familiar ache in her abdomen made her clench her legs in frustration. If she didn't walk out of heer now she was going to hate Chris for the rest of his miserable life...

LeeLou bit her lip suggestively, finally popping the button off of her jeans. With a practiced ease and slowness she stuck her thumbs into the waistband and dragged them halfway down her thighs exposing the lacy red panties underneath. A burst of her cool air caressed her, sent a shiver down her spine. She was wet, incredibly so, and she didn't understand why. Claire was hot, hot, hot! But the woman hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of full body reaction from her. 'It's because she's excited. She's exciting you.' And that much was the truth, Claire looked about as ecsatic as a nympho in at the red light district. It was refreshing. Enticing.

"I like your hair. Do you want to know why?"

Claire nodded. Her voice refused to work. It was just as well. It would absolutely be her undoing if she spoke and sounded like a prepubescent boy watching girl on girl porn for the first time.

LeeLou leaned forward, tipping Claire's chin up. She gazed into brilliant green eyes, searching. Searching for what? Something... something... there. Her grin softened into a smile. "Red is my favorite color." She whispered, wrapping her arms around the redhead's shoulders to pull herself onto her lap.

Claire's heart was a caged beast trying to claw its way out. Her body literally jerked with every beat now, hyper sensitive. 'Oh God what is she doing to me?' She'd felt lust before, felt horny before but never quite on this level. Her mind replayed over and over again every dirty, naughty, filthy thing she wanted to do to this woman whom she'd barely met. This wasn't like her, not at all, and she almost felt ashamed for looking at LeeLou the way she was.

"LeeLou..." She croaked, her throat and mouth bone dry. "I shouldn't... LeeLou.."

Claire's mind was blown. In the half second it took her to blink LeeLou's pants were gone, laying in a haphazard heap on the floor. As the blonde settled her body against her Claire groaned, feeling LeeLou's hot, moist center rub against the exposed skin of her stomach. LeeLou moaned, the sound low and encouraging. She buried her face in the crook of Claire's neck, grinding her hips hard and slow against her stomach. She needed friction, something to take the edge of because somehow this inexperienced little girl managed to work her into a damn frenzy with the ease of flipping a light switch.

Claire wrapped her arms around LeeLou's waist holding her tightly against her body. The blonde's gyrating hips felt painfully delicious. Her own began moving of their own accord, luring LeeLou in just to push her away then do it again. They were dry (or not so dry) humping each other and already this was the most turned on Claire had ever been in her life.

LeeLou began to pant, the force with which she drove her hips making her ass and back ache wonderfully. Shit she was going to cum and hadn't even touched each other yet. Not that they were going to. Being a stripper was about self control- she had to drive herself to the edge, to teeter on the edge, to the point of no return, then calmly turn around and walk away despite every fiber in her being telling her she wanted to jump. Usually it was easy for her, but tonight...

'I want to fuck her.'

The thought alone caused her to whimper and she bit down hard on Claire's neck.

Claire jumped, a long hiss pulling from her lips. 'Holy freaking shit this woman is trying to kill me!' She thought, eyes rolling to the back of her head. She couldn't take this any more. She needed release, needed to find comfort from the pain. To hell with her inhibitions! It's not like she would ever see this woman again. For tonight she could turn off that part of her brain telling her that this was wrong, went against her every belief.

"LeeLou.." She moaned breathlessly as the woman began to kiss her neck.

..."Alice."

Claire's brows furrowed, the kissing stopped. "What?" She forced her eyes open and the sight of those unblinking blue eyes made her breath catch in her throat. 'She's fucking beautiful...'

"My name," she smiled timidly. "It's Alice."

Despite the situation Claire found herself grinning. "Alice in Wonderland."

Alice rolled her eyes, chuckling as she swatted at her arm then grabbed a handful of her shirt and pulled her close. "Shut up."

And Claire did. Because Alice kissed her.

'Shit.' From that one little gesture she knew, even in her alcohol muddled mind, that this wouldn't end well for her.'What did you get me into, Chris?'

* * *

**TBC? Idk, should this be multi chaptered or a one shot? Brownie points for whoever figures out where Alice's stripper name is from :)**


	2. Endearing Awkward Moments

In this life awkward situations are inevitable. Whether it's being the third wheel on your friends' date or walking in on your brother and his nightly conquest. Whether it's your friend telling a bad joke you can't even pretend to find funny or bumping into your one night stand many weeks later at the supermarket; Awkward moments are a given part of life.

Claire had her share of awkward moments, and so did Chris. But all of the humiliation of all those moments combined couldn't quite add up to this...

Claire glared daggers at the bowl of cereal in front of her, head bowed and lips pursed as she chewed with deliberate slowness, her jaw clenching. Her hands rested on the table on either side of her, one gripping a spoon white knuckled while the other remained a tight fist. She could feel her brother's eyes on her but she absolutely refused to look at him knowing there would be a shit eating grin stretching from ear to ear on his stupid face...

A minute passed, the tension weighing heavily on Claire until she sighed, frustrated, and glanced up at her brother.

"And there's that know it all smirk we all hate." She commented dryly.

Chris waggled his dark brows, slurping down a spoonful of milk. "I thought you'd be less wound up after getting some, sis." He snickered.

Claire dropped her spoon, pushed her bowl across the table, leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. She could feel her face heating up with embarrassment even as a growl rumbled through her throat.

That bad feeling she got when Le—Alice- when Alice kissed her? She should have listened to it. Her instincts were always spot on, they never steered her wrong. She didn't want to go to that stupid strip club. She didn't want to go get drunk. Hell, she hadn't even wanted to leave the house! Now she was the laughing stock of all her friends Go figure.

"I didn't get "some."" She muttered hotly.

Chris grinned widely. "That's not what we saw."

Claire threw her hands up in the air, defeated. She could drill her words into Chris' head and it still wouldn't make a damn difference. And shit! Her brother of all people had to walk in on them. Well, her brother, her brother's best friends, her best friend, and Alice's girlfriend...

_This was it. Claire knew it because her body was humming, purring, vibrating like a v8 engine. Alice was the key to her ignition and she was revving now, all warmed up and ready to go. Whatever morals, beliefs, values, or personal agendas were holding her back were gone, discarded, forgotten in light of her situation._

_And what was her situation exactly? She was drunk, pissed at the world, horny as a teenager, and a hot woman was crawling all over her like a touchy kitty on catnip._

_Alice leaned her head back, Claire's bottom lip ensnared between her teeth. The redhead whimpered and she loved it. Spurred on, she leaned forward, slipping her tongue into Claire's mouth. _

_Claire wanted to cry as Alice broke apart their kiss and slid off of her lap. She missed the contact dearly. She could only imagine how pitiful she must look with a pleading, desperate look about her but she was too far gone to turn back now. _

"_You're wearing too many clothes, Claire." Alice stated, walking backwards to the desk. She sat down on the edge, snatched up the bottle of rum, tipped back her head. Claire watched, eyes like a hawk's on its prey, as Alice's throat bobbed, as a drop slid from the corner of her mouth and slowly slunk its way down her neck. _

_She's never moved so damn fast in her life. Claire could attest to that. One second she was sitting, practically vibrating in her seat with the need to touch Alice. The next she was standing between the teasing blonde's legs with handfuls of the woman's hips in her hands, their tongues fighting for dominance. _

_Alice moaned as Claire's insistent mouth moved to the shell of her ear. She could barely catch her breath and it was all she could do to force herself to keep breathing. She couldn't claim to know the redhead, not by a long shot, but this assertive side of her was a welcomed surprise. She leaned forward into the hot kiss, baring her neck like a vampire's victim caught in the creature's thrall, eager to please her master. Truly, Claire had an instant power over her that should have been alarming. _

_Instead it egged her on. There was something about the woman that made her simply tantalizing, desirable, irresistible, something besides the obvious. It was something internal, deep, hot and bright. Something Alice needed to touch. Something she couldn't get to but desperately wanted._

_She was determined to get it. _

"_A-are you sure we should do this?" Claire asked between kisses. A part of her was screaming for her to stop. This lust induced fever must be burning up the alcohol in her system but not nearly fast enough for her to put a stop to this on her own. She wanted this. Needed it. Even her first time with Steve hadn't felt this exhilarating and Steve was no chump in bed. It's like her body had been asleep the last three years and Alice was the wake up call. _

"_I'm sure we shouldn't stop." Alice whispered breathlessly, thrusting herself against her. Maybe tomorrow, in the light of day when everything became clear, she would look back on this moment and wish she would have stopped. Until then, she was perfectly content with giving in to her wanton desires. The last time she'd wanted someone this badly had been too long indeed. She missed the spark of energy and the burning hot passion that drove her to act recklessly, without abandon. "Come here." _

_Claire sucked in a sharp breath as Alice's hands glided across her body leaving a burning trail down to the button of her jeans. Her lithe fingers worked fiercely and quickly driving up her pulse in their frenzy. _

_Claire gasped then clamped down on her lip hard enough to draw blood. Alice's cold fingers on her hot clit were a divine contrast. Even with just a few gentle flicks she twitched and jerked in a fully body spasm. Leaning forward slightly, she braced herself against Alice, spreading her legs a little wider and grinding her hips harder on the blonde's hand. _

"_Shit..." She cursed softly, eyes fluttering shut. It was like invasion of the damn body snatchers, she had absolutely no control over herself. It was all Alice. If she was an instrument Alice was the expert musician intimately acquainted with every key, and every stroke, the slightest touch coaxed sweet music from her. _

_'Jesus H, Claire, you're a sad son of a bitch.' Claire thought to herself. 'I just had sex a week ago, but... damn...' There were just no words to describe the way her body was reacting to Alice. Like a virgin touched for the very first time._

"_Shit." The redhead chuckled softly, catching the blonde's attention. _

_Alice cocked a shapely brow, a little half smirk lilting her kiss bruised lips. "What so funny?"_

"_Madonna."_

"_You're thinking about Madonna right now?" She laughed, eyes twinkling. _

_Funny how she never realized how beautiful colored eyes could be. Green and blue eyes ran in their family, she must have seen a million pairs of them in her life time but Alice's were... Mesmerizing. Enchanting. Hypnotizing. Curious. Confident. _

"_No," She said breathlessly. "I'm thinking about you." Their eyes locked in a heated stare, each woman taunting each other with a single glance, daring. Challenging. "You're beautiful, you know that?"_

_Alice smiled coyly, a witty remark laying on the tip of her tongue. A remark Claire squashed with her insistent hands. _

_She stroked her clit hard, insistently, with her thumb, her middle finger slipping and sliding down her slit. Alice was unbelievably wet for her. It brought a grin to her face knowing she inspired this kind of reaction from someone as beautiful and experienced as this woman. _

_Alice groaned. Just a few minutes of Claire's expert ministrations had her withering. She was right there, right on the edge, ready to cum. Her mind was a hot jumbled mess, even basic motor functions seemed difficult. _

_Claire shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Whatever thoughts she wanted to express erupted into a wall of blinding white behind closed lids. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, Alice, I'm- Oh fuck I'm going to-"_

_Alice moaned, the telltale signs of her own orgasm making her body quiver like jell-o. Her muscles clenched and tensed, body coiled like a tightly wound guitar string ready to pop. "Me too. Don't stop, baby, don't—don't-"_

_Alice shut her eyes, her throat tightening. Damn if this wasn't the ride of her life! She could feel it- All the best, most intense, most satisfying orgasms all rolled into one! _

_Claire arched her back, head tossed back, eyes closed, lungs burning and ready to scream until they collapsed. It had all lead up to this moment and she as going to enjoy it thoroughly..._

"_Yo, Claire, are you in there?" The back door burst open. Luther, Ada, Leon, Chris, and Jill stood there wide eyed and opened mouthed. _

"_Claire?!" Chris shouted,spinning around, incredulous. "What the hell are you doing?!"_

"_Alice? Are you freaking kidding me?!" Jill roared shoving past the others, charging into the room. She set her hands on her hips, sneering as Alice and Claire scrambled to get behind the desk and pull their clothes on. "Really?" She scoffed, glaring at the blushing redhead. "With my girlfriend?"_

_Claire frantically buttoned up her shirt, her face, ears, and neck burning as if they'd been set fire to. She froze only when Jill's words clicked in her mind. "Your... girlfriend?" She asked slowly, turning to look at Alice. _

"_Yes," Jill snarled, "Alice is my girlfriend."_

"_Great." Chris groaned, slapping his hand across his face. He heard a chuckle beside him and shoved his elbow into Luther's ribs. "Bro, turn around, that's my sister!"_

"_Oh! My bad, dude." _

_Beside a red faced Leon, Ada grinned like a Cheshire cat. "This just got interesting." _

Claire pinched the bridge of her nose feeling a damn headache coming on. She would never hear the end of this. Sooner or later the guys at work would find out, too, and she would be the butt of every bad stripper joke known to man from now until the end of times.

"Just shoot me now..."

Chris shook his head, got up and took his bowl to the sink, then came back and ruffled her hair before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Don't sweat it, Claire. At least she was hot. This guy at work woke up next to a five hundred pound black woman after a night of binge drinking."

Claire shuddered at the mental images Chris painted. "I guess there's worse things in life than almost having sex with some chick's stripper girlfriend... Wow. I just said that sentence." She cringed, slamming her head on the table. "I can't believe that happened."

Chris chuckled, patting her back. "I have to get ready for work. Eat some pizza later, it'll take care of that hangover."

"Okay."

"And Claire? You can blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol! A-"

"Chris, I swear if you sing that damn song one more time..."

He smiled, darting across the dining room. Claire stared after him, snorting at his antics. For as much of a pain in the ass as he could be, he definitely made her days brighter. Even a day like this one...

After Jill, Luther, Leon, Ada, and Chris walked in on them they'd left back downstairs to give them time to get dressed up. Not without Chris threatening to check on them every five minutes first. It really took her back to junior high when Chris appointed himself as her bodyguard whenever boys came around. If only he'd known then she had a certain affinity for his blonde girlfriend...

_Claire buttoned her pants and buckled her belt in place. She took her time buttoning up her shirt. She was still finding herself feeling too damn hot to be wearing clothes but had no choice in the matter. Staying unclothed in the same room as Alice was just a baaaad idea..._

_Across the room Alice threw on her jeans as well though she chose to leave them unbuttoned. A part of her wished Claire would shove her up against the wall and finish what they'd started. It didn't seem likely. Not with the way Jill busted in on them. And did that guy say Claire was his sister? She couldn't imagine a worse scenario if she tried. _

_When she finished getting decent she cleared her throat to catch's Claire attention. The redhead turned stiffly, eyes cast at the floor as she did so. Alice internally cringed. _

"_So..."_

"_So."_

_Alice sighed, combing her shaky fingers through her hair. Her body had yet to come down from its sexual high. Every cell, every fiber of her being felt alive and charged. "So, that wasn't ideal."_

_Claire scoffed, leaning back against the desk, arms crossed securely over her chest. Her gaze danced across the room, unable to meet Alice's. "Yea..."_

_Alice squeezed the back of her neck. If anything that was the most intense lap dance she'd ever given, nothing more. She'd been doing this for years so why was this suddenly so damn difficult? So awkward? It's not like Claire was a regular or even someone she'd ever bump into again. If they hadn't done so yet chances were they wouldn't. So why? Why did she care? Why did she feel bad looking at her now? _

"_Listen, Claire, about Jill-"_

"_Do you do this often?"_

_Alice frowned, brows furrowing. "Do what?"_

_Claire looked around the room at the discard bottles, Alice's tossed jacket. "This. Almost fuck people and not tell them your girlfriend's sitting downstairs." _

"_Jill's not my girlfriend."_

"_Come again? I must have had more drinks than I thought. I could have sworn you just said the woman who came in here claiming to be your girlfriend isn't your girlfriend."_

_Alice nodded, leaning her back against the door. "She's not. We're... friends... friends with benefits." _

_Claire bit her lip. "Friends with benefits." Strange but she could have sworn... No. That wasn't a spark of jealousy. It couldn't be. She couldn't be jealous! Envious maybe but not jealous. What wasn't there to envy? She was gorgeous and oh so very talented. 'Definitely not jealous. That's damn creepy, you just met!'_

_'That didn't stop you from almost fucking her tho.' Sometimes she hated her conscious. She really did._

"_I'm sorry, Claire. I should have told you about it. I just got caught up in the moment." A small grin, "Can you blame me?"_

_Claire swallowed hard, Alice's eyes roved over her body without shame. Her bright eyes made her skin tingle and her insides tickle. Oh it would be all too easy to start up where things left off..._

"_I should get going. My brother's waiting on me."_

"_Sure."_

_For just a moment Alice looked disappointed. But as quickly as she saw it, it was gone, leaving her to ponder her sobriety. She strolled on over to the door, cracked it open. Just as he'd promised, Chris was on his way back up to look for her. He grinned at her and waved, gesturing towards the club exit. It was time to go._

_She glanced back at Alice and wasn't surprised to find the woman watching her. She smiled a little, feeling that familiar heat in her face. _

"_Maybe I'll see you around some time?"_

_Alice smiled back at her, eyes lighting up. "That would be great."_

"_Cool. Well... See ya, Alice."_

"_Bye, Claire." _

Claire leaned back in her chair, propping her feet up on the table. Slowly, a grin etched itself on her face. She wouldn't call the previous night the best, nor would she call it the worst. Certainly better than she expected, though. Despite this aggressive hangover, her friends guaranteed teasing, and having one hell of a case of blue balls it turned out alright. Better than alright considering her long time boyfriend just up and left.

'Alice...'

"What are you smiling about?" Chris asked as he came out of his bedroom decked out in his RCPD Task Force uniform. He buckled the straps on his vest, looking up at her through his thick lashes.

"Nothing." She grumbled, jumping out of her seat. "I should probably get ready for work, too. I'll see you tonight."

"Don't forget K's coming over for dinner."

"Okay." She said distractedly.

Chris cocked his head to the side, observing his sister. That look on her face was familiar but he couldn't pinpoint it just yet. She'd looked awfully chipper just now. He wondered why. Maybe it was because K-Mart had finally accepted his invite to dinner on her behalf. As far as good looking women went K was no push over. She didn't irritate the crap out of him either, and she was pretty down to earth. Plus, he'd seen the way Claire acted around K-Mart, and he'd seen the way K acted around his sister. He always thought Claire should be with a woman. Not because of some twisted perverted fantasy of his but because he trusted a woman with his baby sister way more than he would ever trust a man...

He grabbed his keys off the table and headed out the door, his lips twitching as a thought crossed his mind. 'K's a leg up from Steve, but that stripper takes the cake.' He shook his head at his silly thought, remembering last night as he half dragged a falling down drunk Claire up the stairs. She'd reached up for a high five, a goofy grin on her face.

"_Can I pick em or what?"_

_**TBC?**_

**AN: OMG Guys so sorry about the lateness my internetz was disconnected for a week and by the time I got it back on I got backed up on my schoolwork. I also apologize for this chap being so short but trust me there was some plot in there lol. R & R? **

**Ps- I have to write a term paper on porn for my psychology class, anyone here know a porn director or writer I could ask a few questions? **


	3. Sibling Rivalry

(**Many**** Months Later...**)

It was a cold and rainy day...

Claire snorted as she gazed out the window of her office at the pouring rain. It sounded like the beginning of a kid's horror novel but it was the truth. 34 degrees, raining, clouded. Gloomy.

Most of the guys in the shop had left home after lunch break figuring there wouldn't be much work today. Raccoon City was known for its mild, pleasant weather so when a freak cold front swung by most people tended to stay locked up in doors until it passed. The only reason she decided to stick around was because of Chris. The more time she spends away from him the better. His attempt to hook her up with Kmart ended worse than she could have ever predicted. She couldn't even stand to look him in the eyes much less spend her entire afternoon locked up in her (suddenly too small) apartment with him.

She sighed, propping her grease stained boots up on the desk. She was spending a lot more time in the shop since that fateful night, doing anything and everything to keep herself busy. At first avoiding Chris and Kmart was productive for the shop. That plan backfired. Now the shop was empty, void of work, and jumping from a skyscraper or having teeth pulled appealed more to her than going home...

Eventually Claire grew tired of staring at the impeccable walls of her office. For a mechanic, she sure kept things tidy. A little too tidy. The modest sized office was damn boring. Just like the owner.

'Bashing time.' Claire lamented. She could spot it from a mile a way. A moment of introspection was upon her, and it was exactly the kind of thing she'd been avoiding up until this point. Now she was cornered with no way out.

_Claire leaned against her '69 Boss outside of RPD's training facility waiting patiently for Kmart to come out. She licked her lips, fidgeted with her shades, stuck her hands in her pockets then decided to cross them over her chest instead. A frown tugged at her lips. Why was she so damn restless all of a sudden? The answer came to her as she looked down at her watch. _

_5:14._

_Her brows scrunched up. Kmart's late. Kmart's never late. Like herself, she was a woman fond of punctuality and routine. _

_'Maybe that's the problem. I'm routine.' She thought to herself. _

_It didn't take a genius to figure out the fire between them had quickly fizzled out. They'd gone from being on top of the world to acting like an old married couple so fast it gave her whiplash. By nature Claire was more subdued, more mature, a little less of a risk taker than Chris. But she wasn't boring either. It took the right person to bring out the wild streak in her but it was there all the same. At first she believed Kmart might be the one to, as Luther so nicely put it, "take the stick out of her ass." As the weeks became months, however, it became clear that wasn't the case. Even oblivious Leon, who spent 90% of the time living in his own little world, noticed. _

_Still sometimes she wondered if maybe this was all inside her head. Kmart hadn't changed much in the months they'd spent together. In fact she seemed even rowdier than usual though she pegged that down to spending WAY too much time with Chris. It couldn't be healthy. _

_And speaking of her dim witted, ass for brains brother, shouldn't he already be home? Shoving herself off of the car, Claire strolled over to Chris' old, beat up motorcycle. She ran her hand lovingly along the worn handles, a small, satisfied smile on her face. After spending years in Chris' (lack of) care the poor thing looked like a line of freighters went over it, reversed, then went over it again. It looked like a total piece of crap but after spending a few weeks in her shop it purred like a kitten and ran better than a new bike. _

_Claire had a passion for vehicles that bordered on obsessive, one that often took priority over many things in her life. It was one of the reasons Steve left her, and she was certain it was the hammer driving the wedge between her and Kmart. She could already feel it coming, the dreaded, "we need to talk" moment. It's not that she didn't like the blonde. On the contrary- she'd had a crush on the girl from the moment Chris introduced them. But sometimes getting what you want isn't always best.._

_Claire sighed, glancing at her watch again. 5:27. She told Kmart she might be late today, and if too much time passed she should just catch a ride home with Chris and they could meet up later. They must still be inside waiting on her. Growing bored standing around outside like a loser, she started towards the gym where she knew K and Chris would be waiting on the bleachers or playing a game of hoops with the other officers..._

_Despite the steady decline in her relationship with Kmart, she couldn't deny- the girl was gorgeous, had a rocking body to make her drool and do other questionable things. Maybe the emotional attraction between them was dwindling but the physical attraction was undeniable. A shiver ran down her spine as an image of a red faced, sweaty, panting K crushing the boys in hoops hijacked her brain. That image was enough to put at bay more serious, unappealing thoughts of break ups and such._

_Claire reached for the door handle and paused. She couldn't hear any of the usual commotion signaling a game between the rowdy, obnoxious officers. 'So bleachers it is then.' It was a shame, too. She had half a mind to accompany K to the showers. She yanked the door open, ready to snap some smart ass remark at Chris. _

_It died instantly on her tongue as her eyes adjusted to the dim lightning of the gym and fell to the haphazardly discarded uniforms hanging off of the bleachers, to the two glistening bodies bucking against each other in the far corner of the gym. To Chris' horrified expression and Kmart's gaping mouth and wide eyes._

–

Claire shook her head, as if doing so would shake away the bad thoughts and ill feelings. Eight months ago and she still couldn't bring herself to think about it without wanting to kill something afterward. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't hurt for the act itself, rather hurt that of all the people out there, Chris had been the one to go behind her back and pull a stunt like that.

She didn't love Kmart. Not exactly. Not really. But it still sucked. She still wondered, How long were they sneaking around behind her back? The thought made her sick to her stomach. That was her brother, and that was her girlfriend...

–

"_Are we having fun yet?" Claire snarled. Her mind refused to believe what her eyes were seeing. The evidence was there, in a pile of khaki and white on the floor, in two pairs of apprehensive green eyes staring back at her. _

_Chris was the first to move and Claire had to look away. The last time she saw her brother naked was in her mother's stomach. Not a sight she cared to see again. He stumbled off of Kmart and to his clothes, jerking them on with shaky hands. He snatched up K's clothes and tossed them at her. She was noticeably more shocked than Chris. She stared at the shirt as if it were a foreign object until Chris yelled at her to "put the fucking thing on!" which she did slowly, as if unsure how to do so. _

_Claire drew very little satisfaction if any from their stupor. _

_Done making himself modest, Chris found himself at a loss. His gaze danced between his neutral sister and the still shocked Kmart, desperately seeking (and not finding) something smart to say. What he could he possibly say anyway? He looked down at his hands wringing the tail of his shirt. Claire used to get annoyed with him because he never lacked words to say. _

_Now there were none._

_He looked up at Claire, his face contorting in pain. Claire didn't show it, but she was hurting bad. Her eyes never lied. Never could. Not to him. He used to take pride in how well he knew his sister, in how close they were. He saw all that crumbling to pieces before his very eyes and it was all his fault. Anger quickly flooded his veins, made his heart pound faster in his chest. He was exactly like his father- the one person he vowed never to become. It was a promise to himself, to their mother. To Claire. _

_For a moment Claire forgot the circumstances. The expression on Chris' face was one of pure self loathing. The maternal instinct in her struggled to rise to the surface. This was her baby brother. Bros before hoes. Nothing is stronger than blood._

_Except hate. Betrayal. Anger. _

"_Claire it's-"_

"_Not what it looks like?" She scoffed in disgust. She whirled on the blonde. Kmart chose the wrong time to come back to earth. "Spare me the bullshit, please." _

_Kmart flinched and looked away, tears burning her eyes. Claire had every right to be angry and she had absolutely none to pity herself. But it still hurt. Claire had never been anything more than kind, gentle, and caring towards her. This was a new side to her, one that scared her. _

_Chris flinched. "Claire-"_

"_Shut up." Claire spun around, snatching her cell phone out of her pocket on the second ring. She took a deep breath, reeling in the anger and the venom still lacing her voice. "Redfield's Auto." _

"_Hi. Is your shop still open?" _

_No, it wasn't. But this call couldn't have come in at a better time. Some of the tension in her shoulders dissipated. Some but not all. She could feel Chris' and Kmart's stares on her back. "Yes, we are open. Are you there now?"_

"_I'm actually stranded. Is there any chance-"_

"_I can pick you up. Where are you?"_

_A warm chuckle filtered through the phone, unexpectedly making her lips twitch. "It's kind of embarrassing. Do you know where STARS is?"_

_Stars... "The club?" Claire clarified, clearing her throat. Some foreign emotion warmed her chest. A strange combination of apprehension, embarrassment, excitement. _

"_That's the one."_

"_I can be there in the thirty minutes." _

"_Oh wow. That would be great! Thank you so much." _

"_No problem. See you in a bit." She dismissed. She stared at her cell phone with a forlorn expression. The very mention of the word Stars brought back all kinds of memories. With a shake of her head she shoved the phone into her back pocket and kicked the gym door open._

"_Claire where are you going?" Chris called urgently. "I thought you were taking a few days off."_

"_Your things better be out of my apartment by the time I get home." _

_Chris' jaw slackened. "What?"_

_Claire spared him a passing glance. He looked like he wanted to cry. Or punch something. Probably both. "I'm not kidding. Your shit better be gone. And you, too." She snapped at Kmart. "Get your crap out of my room. Leave the key on the table." She shoved past the door and out of the gym, hands curled into fists at her sides and teeth sinking deep into her tender lips. _

–

Claire's brow steadily climbed upwards as she looked down at her hands. They were clenched into tight fists on top of her desk leaving them feeling tense and sore. Slowly she uncurled them and laid them flat out on the desk.

The impossible had happened. The rain was coming down harder, the temperature dropping steadily. The roads would freeze soon, making driving a damn near impossible feat. She might be a little fucked up for thinking it but she looked forward to the business all the accidents would bring. It meant less time spent cooped up with Chris...

As angry as she'd been she couldn't find it in herself to put him out on his ass. The only reason he kept his job with RPD as long as he had was because she pushed him. He was smart but lacked common sense. Before she let him move in he was practically homeless, had maybe fifty bucks in his pocket, and looked like something the dogs dragged in. She couldn't do that to him, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't.

Doesn't mean she forgave him, tho. In the last month they shared maybe a sentence or two, and maybe spent a minute if that much in the same room together. Things were tense, awkward, sometimes even aggressive. Mostly on her part. Chris went out his way to try and make up with her. Claire simply wouldn't have it. The anger was still there, still fresh, still eating away at her.

–

"_Watch the fuck out asshole!" Claire shouted out her window, outraged even though technically the almost accident was her own fault. She was angry, enraged, and the only way she knew to deal with those feelings were to take them out on the road. _

_Hey, it's more productive than drinking herself to oblivion. Plus, she might as well get it out now before she picked up the client. No use scaring her off. _

_Her grip tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles white from the killer grip. She couldn't get herself to calm down or her body to relax. She was wound so tight she feared spontaneously shattering into a million pieces. Why did this bother her so much? She knew things between K and her were reaching their end. It should come as no surprise the beautiful, young girl found someone to give her what she couldn't. _

_But did that someone have to be her brother? Why didn't she see it coming? It was all right there, right in front of her. It was so obvious! _

"_Fucking hindsight bias." She chuckled humorlessly, recalling a lecture from one of her first psych classes. She failed that class, never able to recall the important information long enough to pass a test. It's all coming back now. Just in time to slap her in the face. _

_As she drove past her apartment building, curiosity overpowered common sense. Her jaw clicked as it set when she spotted Chris and Kmart standing in the parking lot. Their body gestures told her they were in the middle of heated argument. The urge to get out and defend her girlfriend—correction, her EX girlfriend now- made her slow down, but not stop. Even from a distance she saw the tears streaking down K's red face as Chris flailed around looking like a bird trying to take off._

_A few minutes later Claire pulled up to the curb beside STARS and killed the engine to the company tow truck. She sat in the seat for a while, staring blankly out of the windshield in an attempt to gather her bearings. Her father might have been a bastard but he taught her to be professional, to separate business life from her personal life. She was a shark with a poker face. It came in handy._

_Especially now. _

_An attractive brunette waved at her as she jumped out of the truck. She nodded, figuring it was her client. The brunette came bounding across the sidewalk, a huge, goofy grin on her pretty face. Claire mentally cringed. She must be a morning person, an organic coffee drinker, a member of PETA. A modern day hippie... The type of girl that drove a Prius- a slap in the face of car aficionados. _

"_You made it!" The woman said enthusiastically. "I was beginning to think you bailed."_

_Claire offered what she hoped was a passable smile. "Sorry. Had to pick up the truck. I'm Claire Redfield." _

_The brunette looked pleasantly surprised. "As in the owner of the shop Claire Redfield?"_

"_The one and only." Dark eyes danced over her unabashedly. Claire got a much needed boost to her ego, enough to make her smirk. _

"_I have to say. So not what I expected."_

"_I hope that's a good thing."_

"_It's a very good thing. Anyway, I'm Rain."_

_Claire nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets after a quick shake. "So where's your car?" She followed Rain's pointing finger to a silver –Surprise, surprise!- Prius parked just down the street. She bit back a chuckle, raising a brow at the little leaf stickers splattered all over the small car. Stereotypical vegan. Right down to the aluminum mountain bike mounted on the roof and the rubber ducky sitting on her dashboard. "Let's check it out." _

"_Great. I just have to grab my stuff. Can you give me a minute?"_

"_Sure. Can I have your keys?" _

_Rain tossed her a set of keys. Claire stared at the key chain attached to them. **Eat Fresh. **SO many implications... She looked up just in time to see Rain slip into Stars. She didn't seem like the type to hang around a strip club. But she would never know for sure. She wasn't the type to pry around in the lives of strangers no matter how curious a cat she might be._

_She hooked her thumbs into the loops of her jeans, eying the Prius like a hawk eying prey. Not believing in midget cars didn't disqualify them from her services. Money is money. Another lesson dear old dad deemed necessary to teach her. Of course he was talking about dirty, drug money but the concepts were the same._

_From a quick examination, which consisted of turning the ignition, Claire came to several conclusions. One- Rain isn't car savvy. Two- she could make a killing duping ignorant car owners. Three- The smoke coming from under the hood smelled like rubber, meaning the problem had nothing to do with what's under the hood. _

_Off the top she estimated a solid $200 job. Not bad for an off the record job. _

"_Hey. Sorry I took so long." Rain appeared at her side, that same grin on her face. In her arms she carried an arrangement of what Claire could only guess were outfits. So Rain worked at STARS. Had she been there that night, too? It was a question she just might have to ask, Curious cat and all. _

"_So whats the verdict?" _

"_Two hour job. Looking at around $200 for parts and labor." Rain checked her watch. 6:13. She frowned. Claire noticed. "I can drop you and pick you up. No extra charge." _

_Rain chewed it over for a moment. "I can get my coworker to pick me up. Thanks tho. Do you need the money up front or-"_

"_You can pay when the jobs done. Don't worry about the paperwork either, I can fill it out and have you sign it when you pick up the car. Just give me a number I can reach you at." _

_They combed over a few more details before parting ways. Claire promised the car would be ready to go around 8 as soon as the shop opened. Rain appreciated the top priority status of her car and gave Claire her word she would recommend her shop to all of her friends. _

_She arrived at the shop an hour later after a detour to the liquor store. She set Rain's car up on the lift and gathered all the tools necessary for the job before dressing down into a pair of old stained, cut up jeans and a tank top. In reality the job would take less than an hour but her curiosity got the best of her and she planned to find out exactly what made this little joke of a car tick. _

_Several hours later, one deconstructed then reconstructed Prius, and a bottle of Jose Cuervo later, found Claire closing up shop close to midnight. The long hours spent working on the car and the soothing warmth of the tequila finally succeeded in calming her down enough for her to realize she was dead tired and possibly overreacting to what happened. She told Chris she wanted him out of the house by the time she got home but now she found herself hoping that her brother once again proved to be the hard headed, stubborn jackass he was born to be. A part of her even hoped Kmart was still around. What's a break up without the angry, goodbye sex that follows? _

_She snickered, shaking her head at the ridiculous thought, surprised she didn't puke. Chris might like having her sloppy seconds but she is no one's second best. With a bit of effort she clambered into the Boss. _

_The 429 Boss cherry red Mustang with black racing stripes was her most prized possession. The car was a damn lady killer, a beast, the holy grail of racing cars in her opinion, and one of the sexiest muscle cars ever to hit the streets. She'd put more time, effort, and money into that car than her longest relationship (Steve) and it'd lasted her twice as long as that. Rear wheel drive, 4 speed manual, 375 Horse Power at 5200 RPM, 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds quarter mile- all summed up to two words. Badass. Hers. _

_She stroked the suede seat lovingly, purring with content. No matter how angry she got, the Boss always made her feel better. Instead of starting her up she turned on the radio and hooked up her phone to it, scrolling through the list of music. As much fun as driving her baby was, she didn't dare risk getting pulled over by the cops. Those nasty pigs were dying to get their grubby hands on the Boss. _

_Claire settled into the driver's seat with the music playing softly around her. She helped herself to the rest of the tequila, already resigned to the fact that tonight would be a night spent out under the stars._

_The next day she woke with a start, nearly falling out of her seat at the unexpected tapping on the window. She cracked open one eye and cringed away from the streaming sunlight. Her fucking mouth felt like a furry animal crawled inside and died. The first thing she became aware of besides the God forsaken sunlight was the unbearable pain in her head. No good deed ever went unpunished- she had the hangover from hell. All because she rather get drunk than go fight with Chris._

"_Fuck," She groaned, felling stiff and sore as she stretched. _

"_Sounds about right."_

_Claire glared at the redhead. He grinned back. Cheeky as ever. Barry Burton reminded her of a werewolf with his ridiculously big hair and crazy ass sideburns and mustache. He had wild hazel eyes with a pair of insanely bushy brows to boot. Hell, even his teeth were sharper than most men's and gleamed whenever he smiled. Barry might look scary but the guy was harmless. He was like the dad she'd always wanted. He looked after her and Chris once their mother passed, and it was because of him that she was now the proud owner of Redfield's Auto. _

"_What time is it?" She croaked, crawling out of the Boss. She made a face as her skin peeled away from the suede. The right side of her arm, neck, and face were red and splotched from being pressed up against the seat all night long. She felt sticky and dirty and with good reason. She still wore yesterday's grease covered, tequila drenched clothes. Add the night's sweat and grime to the mix and you had the makings for a very unpleasant morning. _

_Barry arched a bushy brow at the disheveled redhead. "It's 8:45. I opened up the shop a few minutes ago. There's two very pretty girls asking for you out front." He waggled his brows playfully. "I sent them to your office."_

"_Two girls-" Claire's jaw dropped. "Oh shit! Barry, I can't go out there like this!" _

_Barry snickered. "You have to. They've been waiting since 8. I don't think it's a smart idea to keep them waiting any longer."_

_Claire panicked. Technically speaking she was a mechanic so she looked the part. Still she prided herself on not looking like the stereotypical grease monkey. Going home to change is out of the question. Barry has a look on his face that says he won't be much help..._

_Cursing under her breath, Claire pulled her hair up into a high ponytail then snatched her dark aviators from the dash and put them on. She popped a stick of Big Red gum into her mouth and sprayed some Axe on herself- a little something Steve forgot to take in his quick escape. _

_All the while Barry snickered. He'd never seen Claire so disgruntled. It was an odd sight, and one he'd never forget. "Go get em tiger." _

_Claire flipped him the bird as she disappeared into the shop. Barry barked a loud, obnoxious laugh._

_Why in the hell was she so concerned with how she looked? Probably because Rain was a very attractive women despite certain flaws (the Prius & vegan thing.) _

_'Isn't it too soon to be checking out women?' She shook her head. She wasn't checking out Rain, simply stating a very obvious fact. 'Isn't that checking her out?' _

_Stupid brain._

_Rain grinned sheepishly at her friend's flat expression. She was unhappy and not afraid to show it. Rain rubbed the back of her neck, chuckling awkwardly. "I'm so sorry. She said the car would be ready by 8." _

"_Mechanics." The brunette said sourly, crossing her arms over her chest, gaze piercing through Rain. "I'm going to the bathroom." _

_Rain gulped. Did it just get very cold in here? She resumed her pacing, this time with a round of nail biting once the brunette disappeared into the adjacent bathroom. She checked the time again, 8:49, and grew more restless. If Claire didn't get here soon-_

"_Sorry about the delay. Got caught up with some business." Claire strolled into the waiting area with her most sincere smile on display. She obviously caught Rain off guard because the woman jumped nearly three feet in the air. "Shit. Didn't mean to scare you." _

_Rain chuckled nervously. "It's good. Is everything okay?"_

"_Just fine, thanks. Ready to get your car?"_

"_Yeah let me just get- Hey, Alice, this is Claire Redfield, the girl I was telling you about..."_

_Claire turned to greet the newcomer and froze, almost literally rooted to the spot. Ice blue eyes, soft pink lips, perfect alabaster skin, looking killer in a simple plaid shirt, form fitting taper jeans and boots. She was exactly as she remembered her with the minor exception of her hair. It had been cut in a short pixie style before. Blonde. Now it flowed down her shoulders in long golden brown waves with a soft fringe framing the top of her eyes... _

"_A-Alice." Claire choked out, mustering all the grace of the proverbial fish out of water. _

_Alice's lips parted in a soft smile, blue eyes lighting up. "Long time no see, Claire."_

_Rain's gaze danced back and forth between the two women for several seconds before coming to a sound conclusion. "I take it you two know each other." _

_Claire tore her eyes away from the still smiling brunette. Shit just got real! Part of her trembled with excitement, the other wanted to cry and run out of there screaming. "It's a long story." _

"_Not that long, actually." Alice interrupted. "Rain, this is the girl I told you about, remember? Claire? Redhead, kind of shy, super cute?"_

_Shy? Cute? Bullshit. Claire firmly denied it. Even as she felt her face heating up. _

_A look that said, "Ooooh!" flashed across Rain's face. "No shit? You're THAT Claire?" The redhead continued to stand there looking stricken. She smirked. She knew that look all too well. Any and every girl that ever encountered Alice had it. "Small world."_

–

Claire bit back a yawn and reached for her screeching phone. From this angle she couldn't see who was calling but it was on her personal phone so it eliminated business calls. There weren't too many people who possessed her phone number, what with her being a private person and all. She could count on one hand the people she liked enough to bother calling or answering.

A small smile tugged at her lips at the flashing photo on her screen; Something that didn't occur often if at all in light of not so recent recent events.

"Hey, you."

"Hey yourself. What are you doing?"

Claire leaned back in her chair, still watching the rain come down. It had a soothing effect on her, eased her troubled mind. Or is it just Alice? "Nothing. Kicking back in the shop. You could always come keep me company."

Alice chuckled, the sound warming Claire. Alice's voice never ceased to amaze her. The reason why was still unknown to her. "I can be there in 20 minutes. Rain says hi."

"Rain's with you?"

"Three way."

Of course. That made sense. "Hi back... So I'll see you soon?"

"Sure thing, Madhatter."

Claire blushed at the nickname, remembering how exactly she came to acquire it. Rain had an ass beating coming her way "See you soon, Wonderland."

With no work left to do and the weather too crappy for anything else, she set about laying out the makings for what would be an epic movie night with... friends...

It'd taken a bit of coaxing on Rain's part, but eventually she convinced her to come over for poker night. She'd known all along it was a set up but never imagined how well she'd hit it off with Rain's friends. There was Dominic- her boss at the Sport's Shop. He was a more serious guy but he had a sense of humor that made sailors blush. Then there was Peter- a handsome, kind pretty boy from uptown Manhattan that didn't allow his money to get to his head. There was Korben Dallas- Alice's daytime boss. He was an older guy but you couldn't tell from the insane amount of energy he possessed. He was also Alice's surrogate dad. Kind of like Barry was to her.

Then there was Alice herself- all smiles, wit, and intellect...

From their very first conversation, despite her own (incorrect) presumptions, Alice did nothing but wow her. From her tastes in music, movies, and comic books to her vast knowledge of all things Ford, GMC, and Chevy. From her martial arts skills to her utter ignorance of all things sports related- Alice was a truckload of pleasant surprises.

'Doesn't hurt that she looks like a million bucks, either.'

Again, brain? Sometimes Claire wondered if the damn thing purposely tried to sabotage her. She was lying if she said naughty thoughts of Alice never crossed her mind. Her first interaction with her had been as a stripper. She liked Alice. A lot more than she cared to admit. But having been on the receiving end of a pair of cheaters, she dutifully kept herself in check.

Thankfully, Rain didn't seem to be a big fan of Jill and often took the time to clearly express her dislike of the woman to Alice. Alice always shook it off with a shrug and wave. Dismissive. Apathetic...

A beep from her phone drew her from her thoughts. Not like they were headed in a good direction any way. She snatched up the damn thing and read the alert. A text message from Rain. She clicked on it.

**Movie night? Korben's w/me. -Rain**

It's like they could sense when she needed them most.

**You know it. Tell the others.**

**Okay.- Rain**

**Unless you want to be alone with Alice ;)- Rain**

**Just shut the fuck up and get here.**

**Geez! Touchy aren't we? :D See you in ten.- Rain**

Claire tossed the phone onto the couch and took a deep breath. Descartes once said pleasure and pain emerge hand in hand. Or something to that extent. She remembered laughing at how absurd it all sounded back then. Now she understood. Being in the same room as Alice brought her extreme pleasure and joy. At the same time it caused her pain being that close but unable to touch. Alice was off limits yet they hugged, cuddled, wrestled. She was the forbidden fruit Claire was dying to get a taste of. How could she resist temptation when the apple was right there dangling in front of her? She was the horse still running reaching for what it could never truly reach.

'Who's the bitch now?' Her sinister little ego taunts. It's like the damn thing gets off on torturing her.

Before she could engage herself in an argument and lend weight to the theory that she might be insane, a hauntingly beautiful woman appeared outside her window.

Alice. Her hair was curled and pulled up in a messy pony tail that left a few tendrils hanging behind her ears and over her eyes. Her face was scrubbed free of makeup. She wore a white spaghetti strap tank, a pair of baggy gray sweater pants pulled half way up to her knees, and a pair of black and white Chucks. She never looked more beautiful. And Claire was struck completely dumb.

Alice smiled, flattered by the redhead's reaction. "Hey, Mad."

Claire cleared her throat. "Wonderland." She greeted, mentally clapping herself on the back for managing to sound cool for once. She made a show of searching around Alice. "Where's the Jabberwocky?"

Alice snickered. She passed a bag full of movies over to Claire. "She's running some errands out of town. Don't know when she'll be back." She gestured towards the bag. "I brought your favorite."

"Fast and The Furious?"

"Fast and The Furious."

"Yes! Rain hates it when I tell her she looks like that Letty chick."

Alice made her way around to the door, slipping in. "Well she does look like her." Claire grinned broadly. Her and Alice were two peas in a pod. Partners in crime. Ben and Jerry to quote Korben. Crappy day aside, tonight looked to make up for it. "How was your day?"

"Better now." Claire replied automatically. Honestly. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized what she said. "I-I mean-"

"Mine, too." Alice cut in before Claire could back out. She smiled softly at her, her eyes saying what her words couldn't...

Claire spent the rest of the night with a grin on her face, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest every time Alice's fingers brushed her hand or every time she leaned in to whisper a comment about the movie in her ear.

**AN: A guest review(er) suggested I have Alice and Claire meet at the mechanic shop after my post last night. So you can thank that review(er) for this update lol yep a whole 12 page update from a 2 sentence review. Thanks guest! I also decided the whole Kmart/Claire thing shouldn't be so elaborate considering how many reviews specifically asked me NOT to make them a couple. This chapter is set up to lead into the next chapter so I hope you don't mind the lack of "action" wink wink, or the kind of serious tone to it. Trust me, it's necessary. Also I apologize for any typos, I don't have a beta so I edit my stories to the best of my abilities.**

**Please r&r and continue to leave your suggestions either in a review or PM. As you can see, I do take into account what the readers have to say. **

**Cheers!**


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